Jobs / Jobs / Jobs
The last 15 years, as the owner of your local Express Employment Professional staffing, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking of jobs.
I think about job seekers and how their skills might help them find positions in their industry or how those skills can transfer to new industries. I think about their resiliency and the challenges they might face if their job search is too long to meet their needs. I think about their support system of friends, family, and community.
I think about employer companies and finding them the best talent possible to accomplish their mission. I think about the challenges that stand in the way of our local companies finding the talent. I think about the public policies that stand in the way of them executing their hiring initiatives.
I’ve served on multiple career and workforce development initiatives in our communities because, like you, I know jobs in rural Colorado are vital to sustaining our communities and our way of life. I’m the past chairperson for the Mesa County Workforce Development Board for the Workforce Center, I’ve served many years in various capacities for the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce including their Career Link Committee where I was honored to be the chairperson when starting the Young Entrepreneur Academy. The mission of YEA is to provide an opportunity to transform “local middle and high school students into real, confident entrepreneurs!”
Do you remember your first job?
I remember mine very well – it was an entry level position, at a hole-in-the-wall drive-in, and I was “the” potato peeler/french-fry cook! When I left that morning on my job search and didn’t return by lunch time, my mom (well before cell phones) knew I had found a job! It was that easy! But then again, minimum wage was about 4 bucks! In addition to my own paycheck, which was vitally important for a teenager, it gave me a sense of achievement. I was meeting new people and thought it would help me better understand the world.
What did you do with your first paycheck?
The first thing I wanted to do was treat my mom, dad, and sister to a meal! My family was so great at helping celebrate the sense of meaning and purpose. While it has been… well, a day or two since then and I’ve celebrated many positions in many industries. I strive every day to help others achieve that feeling of independence and empowerment in their job searches. And at the core of many businesses are other leaders, that strive for similar successes for their staff.
Unfortunately, Colorado legislative policies continue to inhibit opportunities rather than support all Coloradans. Policies that get in the way of sharing the sense of success, independence, and self-reliance. Policies that put “big brother” in the middle of the employment relationship by allowing government to determine what all Coloradans receive rather than job seekers & employees asking for what they want or need – which is not a one-size-fits-all.
I worry that regulations and policies limit company and job growth because so many entrepreneurs don’t want to “deal” with the regulatory issues and expensive mandatory requirements. Tradespeople that will age out of their industry without passing on their skills and experiences to others because they didn’t want to hire someone and risk losing everything. This trend is ever so evident in our rural communities when people struggle to find an electrician, a carpenter, an equipment operator, or a plumber that services the area.
The proper government role is to maintain equal protection for equal individual rights. Not to pick winners and losers by legislation or petition. When the legislators or the masses determine the winners, we ALL lose! I care deeply about how you earn your living and how you celebrate your sense of purpose and meaning. I have the business experience, the tenacity, the work ethic, and the passionate persistence to
“let your voice be heard.”
Will your join me western Colorado?
Will you support me in “digging in our heels and putting up our dukes” to recapture our individual rights rather than acquiesce?
I want to hear from you!
Expressly Yours,
Nina Anderson